DOVER, Del. - Powerful storms left a trail of damage through parts of Downtown Dover Thursday night, knocking down tree limbs and scattering debris along Loockerman Street.
The damage appeared highly localized. Large branches were left on sidewalks and streets, while many of the buildings along the historic downtown corridor appeared to escape significant damage.
For Tianina Hanzer, owner of Soulfully Delicious, the storm's sudden change in conditions was alarming.
"I began looking out the window, and I started seeing the wind and the heavy rain started knocking the window, like really shaking the windows," Hanzer said. "I couldn't do anything but just pray."
Hanzer said her restaurant lost branches, and a tree fell nearby, creating what she described as a loud sound. Despite the damage around the business, she said the restaurant did not lose power.
"We were grateful that we didn't have much damage," she said.
A short distance away, Gary Knox, owner of Forney's Too, said he arrived at his business after the storm and discovered that posts supporting the building's portico roof had been knocked loose.
"It was a bit of an alarming situation," Knox said. "It was nighttime. I couldn't see too much, but it could have been a lot worse. I feel lucky, actually."
Knox said the concentrated nature of the damage was striking.
"If you see how localized it was, there's nothing else that got hit," Knox said. "It's just strange how Mother Nature works."
City and emergency crews spent Friday clearing debris and assessing the damage.
